Sports Parents - What to do after games?

Grilling kids in the car after games about their play is not a good thing. However, after a “cooling off” period, things you can bring up can include:

Team play. Questions like, “How did the team feel after the game?” or “What does the team need to do to improve?” are OK. They help kids realize sports are more than personal accomplishment and that you are more concerned with the whole than just their performance.

Courageous things and plays or players that were out of the ordinary. A great play, an unselfish play by a player that helped the team, and a player who battled through an injury or adversity in order to continue helping the team are worth mentioning.

Post-game is a good time to remind your son or daughter to always congratulate all members of the team in good times, and pat teammates on the back during rough times.

You should also ask them to thank their coach afterward.

The ride home is a good time to teach life lessons of the value of teamwork, sacrifice, and gratitude.

I have always asked my kids "how did you feel about how you played?" Even when my daughter sat the bench she would say "dad, I did not play" I would say "I know, were you a good teammate on the bench" It is extremely important that the kids know it is a team sport and the only thing in their control is how they contribute to the team. With 6 children playing at all different levels, I can not remember asking who won, (I usually knew because I was there) only if they were happy with their own performance no matter what it was.

2 AT BATS IS NOT A HARD DAY. AFTER GAMES DO THE OVER LOAD TRAINING. HAVE A BACK BONE. STOP WITH THE STORIES. 200-400 SWINGS A DAY. 50 TO 100 GROUND BALLS, ETC., ETC. MLB IS NOT CHILDREN'S BASEBALL=YOU PERFORM OR GET THE OUT.

I find it funny, when I see people that played MLB baseball saying the biggest thing they hated was after a game their dad asking them about the game. Guess what it worked for you, maybe if dad had just taken them to the ice cream shop or said great game and let it alone this guy might not have made it to the MLB does anyone ever think about that? Ask the guy that never made his HS team what he hated most after the game or find out what his parents said after a game and don't do that.